Sunday, May 3, 2009

Independent Films at the SFIFF




The entertainment industry is saturated with crappy films that make money. It's not brain science, it's the entertainment industry and sex, violence and high-tech graphics sell a movie. The formula obviously molds to whomever you're targeting. The problem, however,  is that this equation (these days) rarely gets me excited to see a movie -- especially in the theatre at $10 per ticket.

The 52nd Annual San Francisco International Film Festival recently ended. Aside from the fabulous parties put on by Bay Area event planning company Winslow and Associates, the fifteen day festival introduced the finest examples of independent films from around the world.

A film festival like the SFIFF sifts through a plethora of independent films and determines what is different, creative, arguably brilliant and most importantly, worth our time and money. What interests me: how a low-budget independent movie can capture the attention of millions with a powerful and entertaining story. 

During the festival, I had the unique pleasure of attending both the opening night showing (and West Coast premier) of "La Mission" and the Centerpiece showing of "500 Days Of Summer". I enjoyed the films, but the traditional idea of an edgy independent film was lost in hopes of ensuring a national distributor. After all, what's the point in making a movie if it doesn't sell.

Peter Bratt's "La Mission" stars his brother, Benjamin Bratt, and is a story of a single recovering alcoholic father coming to terms with his son's sexual orientation. The film takes place in my very own neighborhood, San Francisco's Mission District, and provides a fresh lens into a complicated issue that all facets of society can relate to.

"500 Days Of Summer", directed by Mark Webb and staring one my all-time favourite independent films stars, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, is a romantic comedy deserving of a first-date movie. A low-budget movie, the film utilizes captivating dialogue and a creative timeline that ultimately brings new hope to hopeless romantics (like myself).

Overall, the SFIFF was a huge success. Where else can you walk a couple of blocks to the Castro Theatre, watch an unreleased film, and later attend a party with the cast and crew? And, while I love film, I love parties more -- so thanks again, Winslow and Associates!

In the end, the San Francisco International Film Festival was an excellent introduction to the film industry. Most notably, I learned that any creative film idea requires funding. Money, by its nature, denotes power which ultimately influences the film. For better or for worse, the power to sell a film is just as important as the message itself. Consistent with mainstreaming messages in order to ensure a national distributor, I predict that the future of independent films will be dumbed-down motion pictures that are inexpensive to produce.

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